Science & Technology
When is remdesivir effective for COVID-19?
Remdesivir was one of the first medications approved for treatment of COVID-19. Clinical studies evaluated its effectiveness, but did not generate conclusive results. A new analysis of the study data shows that a specific group of patients benefits the…
Excess nutrients lead to dramatic ecosystem changes in Cape Cod’s Waquoit Bay; the bay is a harbinger for estuaries worldwide, say researchers
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020 with associated travel restrictions, a research group shifted their overseas research projects to instead study the seagrass meadow ecosystem in Waquoit Bay, USA. It’s a shallow, micro-tidal estuary on the south s…
Researcher discovers threshold that triggers drought response in forests
Missouri is home to an array of natural resources, with forests among the state’s most valuable ecosystems. As warmer temperatures fueled by climate change affect ecosystems globally, forests are under stress to adapt to these changes and ensure their …
Sinking tundra surface unlikely to trigger runaway permafrost thaw
Scientists set out to address one of the biggest uncertainties about how carbon-rich permafrost will respond to gradual sinking of the land surface as temperatures rise. Using a high-performance computer simulation, the research team found that soil su…
Paying family members for at-home medical care of their children found to be a viable answer to healthcare worker shortage
A recent study found that a Medicaid program in Colorado can help address the shortage of home healthcare workers for children with complex medical needs by offering family members certified nursing assistant (CNA) training and paying them for at-home …
Salt could play key role in energy transition
A common ingredient — salt — could have a big role to play in the energy transition to lower carbon energy sources. A study describes how large underground salt deposits could serve as hydrogen holding tanks, conduct heat to geothermal plants, and in…
Arsenic contaminates private drinking water wells across the western Great Basin
In the arid and drought-stricken western Great Basin, sparse surface water means rural communities often rely on private groundwater wells. Unlike municipal water systems, well water quality in private wells is unregulated, and a new study shows that m…
Symbiotic fungi transform terpenes from spruce resin into attractants for bark beetles
An international research team demonstrates that the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) uses volatile fungal metabolites of plant defense substances as important chemical signals in their attack on spruce trees. The researchers also show tha…
Sheep can benefit urban lawn landscapes and people
About 25 woolly sheep who seasonally — for the past two years — leave barns to nibble on lawns at various central campus locations, are doing much more than mowing, fertilizing and improving the ecosystem. The sheep also are improving people’s mental…
Hidden from the Romans: 200 tons of silver on the shores of the river Lahn
In their search for silver ore, the Romans established two military camps in the Bad Ems area near Koblenz in the 1st century AD.
Better tools needed to determine ancient life on Mars
Current state-of-the-art instrumentation being sent to Mars to collect and analyze evidence of life might not be sensitive enough to make accurate assessments, according to new research.
Rewiring blood cells to give rise to precursors of sperm
Scientists transform blood cells to regain a flexible fate, growing into a precursor of sperm cells.
Air pollution speeds bone loss from osteoporosis
Elevated levels of air pollutants are associated with bone damage among postmenopausal women, according to new research. The effects were most evident on the lumbar spine, with nitrous oxides twice as damaging to the area than seen with normal aging.
Pill for skin disease may also curb excessive drinking
Researchers have identified a pill used to treat a common skin disease as an ‘incredibly promising’ treatment for alcohol use disorder. On average, people in a proof-of-concept study who received the medication, called apremilast, reduced their alcohol…
Researchers discover mysterious source of ‘heartbeat-like’ radio bursts in a solar fare
A solar radio burst with a signal pattern, akin to that of a heartbeat, has been pinpointed in the Sun’s atmosphere, according to a new study. An international team of researchers has reported uncovering the source location of a radio signal coming fro…
Improving the performance of satellites in low Earth orbit
On-chip distributed radiation sensors and current-sharing techniques can be used to reduce the impact of radiation on the radio and power consumption of small satellites, respectively. New findings can be used to make small satellites more robust, whic…
Bouncing seismic waves reveal distinct layer in Earth’s inner core
Data captured from seismic waves caused by earthquakes has shed new light on the deepest parts of Earth’s inner core, according to seismologists.
Physicists create new model of ringing black holes
A new analysis has modeled black hole collisions in more detail and revealed so-called nonlinear effects within gravitational waves. Nonlinear effects happen ‘when waves on the beach crest and crash.’
Nanoparticles self-assemble to harvest solar energy
Researchers design a solar harvester with enhanced energy conversion capabilities. The device employs a quasiperiodic nanoscale pattern, meaning most of it is an alternating and consistent pattern, while the remaining portion contains random defects th…